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‘Floods made city council take note of climate change’

FLOODING led to Oxford City Council taking the issue of climate change more seriously, the local authority’s leader has revealed.

City council leader Bob Price was addressing the Powering Up conference at the Town Hall yesterday.

It was attended by councils and community groups from across the UK to discuss working together to boost community energy schemes.

He said: “When the Abingdon and Botley Roads flood, the whole city stops.

“In the first half of the last century the city had almost no floods, but since 2002 there have been five major incidents.

“That has dramatically brought home to people here just how important combating climate change is for the city.”

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey told delegates: “The task we face in decarbonising the UK means central government and local government and their communities working together — each playing to its strengths.

“But we’re not just talking about local authorities as enablers — there is a much larger role up for grabs here as genuine delivery partners. Local authorities have access to financial streams and can better direct investment to maximise local impact.

“Many have already grasped this opportunity. Oxford City Council’s decision to loan £2.3m to the OxFutures Community Fund should be applauded. I want to see more councils take up the challenge.”

The council lent the money to Low Carbon Hub for solar panels on schools across the county.

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